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Hi Daniela,
As we learn in this lesson on freedom, our main job is not in doing the correct thing, our main job is in placing ourselves under the influence of a good spiritual environment. All the rest is a consequence of this action.
This is similar to a seed that if we plant it in fertile ground, then it’ll get all the right nutrients and grow. If we put it in the desert or just keep it on a shelf somewhere, nothing will come out of it at all. So all of our work boils down to finding the best spiritual environment in which to plant our point in the heart. And what will ultimately happen to it is a result of the environment we put it into.
Here’s a quote about that from the article the Freedom:
“However, there is freedom for the will to initially choose such an environment, such books, and such guides that impart to him good concepts. If one does not do that, but is willing to enter any environment that appears to him and read any book that falls into his hands, he is bound to fall into a bad environment or waste his time on worthless books, which are abundant and easier to come by. In consequence, he will be forced into foul concepts that make him sin and condemn. He will certainly be punished, not because of his evil thoughts or deeds, in which he has no choice, but because he did not choose to be in a good environment, for in that there is definitely a choice.
Therefore, he who strives to continually choose a better environment is worthy of praise and reward. But here, too, it is not because of his good thoughts and deeds, which come to him without his choice, but because of his effort to acquire a good environment, which brings him these good thoughts and deeds.”
Albert @ KabU
Hi Brenda,
Baal HaSulam gives an allegory about an organ that is separated from the body and loses the feeling of being part of that body. Currently we’re like that separate organ. Upon reaching equivalence of form, it’s as if we reconnect that organ back to the general body and it once again begins to experience a higher degree of life through that body.
But these are internal matters, on the level of our feelings, thoughts, and sensations. Externally, such a person will continue to live a very normal corporeal life. They would continue to work, take care of their family, health, etc, all in the normal way.
Check out Baal HaSulam’s article A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar for more details.
Albert @ KabU
Hi Michael,
Yes, fear in Kabbalah refers to our inability to bestow. It’s a fear that stems from recognizing our egoistic nature and how it can trip us up when we’re aspiring to bestow like the Creator.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2021/11/what-vessel-is-suitable-for-the-light/
Albert @ KabU
Hi Brenda,
1. The only time we can attain equivalence of form is when we are in this world. If we don’t succeed in this lifetime, then our point in the heart will continue to reincarnate again and again until we fully realize it.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2015/06/what-happens-to-the-soul-after-death/
2. Yes, it’s possible. Two is the minimum for spiritual work, but it’s much harder with just two. Ten is the ideal, the closer we get to ten, the easier the work becomes.
And you don’t need to look for these people yourself with whom to do spiritual work, in the advanced semesters of KabU, everyone will be given a virtual group of ten with whom they can do spiritual work.
Albert @ KabU
Hi Chanel,
Everything always comes from a higher root, from the Creator. It’s as if we’re in a constant dialog with Him every moment of our lives. The problem is that the Creator is speaking to us in the language of bestowal, while our nature only understands the language of reception. As such, we operate on two completely different frequencies. So it’s currently impossible for us to understand Him. We first need to correct our nature and become similar to Him. Only then will we begin to understand Him and to comprehend properly all that we see in life.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2010/09/learn-the-creators-language/
Albert @ KabU
Hi Naomi,
Let’s first redefine these words through the lens of Kabbalah:
1. Angels are forces of nature. Some of these forces we can already identify, like the force of gravity, magnetism, the force of the sun, the moon, etc. And some of them we don’t yet identify. But essentially, an angel is a force of nature. These terms can be used interchangeably, so you can call the force of gravity the angel of gravity.
But these are forces. Just as you don’t attribute any intelligence/consciousness or even an image to the force of gravity, you shouldn’t attribute any to the forces called angels.
Check out these blog posts from Rav Laitman for more details:
https://laitman.com/2008/03/demons-spirits-angels-devils-do-they-exist/
https://laitman.com/2010/05/why-do-angels-have-wings/
2. Every single moment in life comes to us directly from the Creator. This is called that “there is none else besides Him”. That He is the only force acting behind ALL of reality. Every single moment, interaction, thought, desire, EVERYTHING comes from Him. If we don’t attribute what we’re experiencing to Him, and instead feel that there are other forces acting in reality beside Him, then we are in a state of idol worship.
Check out these blog posts from Rav Laitman for more details:
https://laitman.com/2017/12/there-is-none-else-besides-him/
https://laitman.com/2026/05/thou-shalt-not-make-unto-thyself-an-idol/
3. If every single moment is coming to us from the Creator, and He is “the good that does good”, it means that every single moment He is sending us nothing but goodness. So what is there to pray for? There’s no need to ask Him to treat us better, since He’s by default ONLY sending us good.
Why don’t we sense His goodness? It’s because our egoistic nature is opposite to the Creator. This opposite nature inverts the Creator’s goodness into something bad. It’s just like multiplying numbers: a positive times a negative equals negative.
So if we want to feel His goodness, we first need to correct ourselves. We do that by prayer. Prayer is less of an appeal and more of a process by which we judge ourselves, evaluate ourselves relative to the Creator and build a desire for Him to correct our egoistic nature.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2011/01/praying-in-order-to-change/
Albert @ KabU
